The North Sea at night: I love it. It can turn wild, like any mountain or desert, but that’s not all the time. When it’s calm, fishing lights appear, dodge…
Yachting Monthly
Sailing around 3,500 miles on the 1917 schooner Oosterschelde: Training in a time warp
I have always wanted to sail on a tall ship; to experience night watches on the high seas, to make sail changes, to helm. Although I’ve done all these things…
‘We passed no living creature apart from three cows and a lone sheep’
There aren’t many places where you can anchor so close to a mountain it breathes on you. In heavy weather the draughts of exhaled tempest that rush down the sheer…
Why I took my Ketch rigged yacht and turned it into a brigantine square-rigger
People have asked why I decided to change a perfectly good ketch into a staysail schooner? It’s a reasonable question. The simple answer is that I always wanted a brigantine.…
Baltic Athena Lifejacket for women – tested
Baltic Athena 165N Lifejacket Baltic Athena women’s specific lifejacket, note the low position of the trigger mechanism and the CO2 bottle. Baltic Athena Lifejacket Price from £139 Buy Baltic Athena…
Best boat knife – 11 options tried and tested
The best boat knife will be a life saver and a constant sailing companion for years to come. Make sure you find the right one that suits you and what…
We Tested 20 of the Best Lifejackets for Boating and Sailing
We all have lifejackets on board, but do you know what yours is actually like to use? We test 10 lifejackets to find out
10 hidden must-see destinations on the West Coast of Scotland
The sheer beauty of the Western Isles and the West Coast of Scotland draws many yachtsmen. Cruising on the west coast of Scotland may have a reputation for being for…
‘Pip Hare has always impressed me with her grit, determination and ability’ – Pete Goss
The flexing of spring’s muscles calls for a dusting down of my jobs list. I never intend winter boat maintenance to become last minute but a busy life creates a…
How to recover from a violent gybe at sea?
It is the roughest sea Simon has ever experienced. He and his four crew are sailing eastwards on his classic 1960s 12m wooden sloop, Sea Thrift, towards the Azores with…